News

Jun 13, 2023

Avgol confirms major Mocksville expansion with 52 jobs, $100M investment

Avgol Americas Inc. confirmed Tuesday plans to create 52 jobs and spend $100

Avgol Americas Inc. confirmed Tuesday plans to create 52 jobs and spend $100 million in capital investments.

Avgol Americas Inc. confirmed Tuesday plans to create 52 jobs and spend $100 million in capital investments as part of adding production lines to its Mocksville operations.

The company said the lines involve a sixth multibeam spun-laid production line and a laminate finishing line, both designed "to meet the growing domestic demand for its ultra-lightweight nonwoven fabrics."

The additional production lines represent the fifth expansion at Avgol's flagship facility since it purchased the plant from Unifi Inc. in 2001.

The company plans to break ground on 63,000 square feet of additional manufacturing and ancillary space in May and to be machine-ready by late November/early December. The high-tech machinery is projected to be fully operational in November 2024.

According to the company and Davie County Economic Development Commission, the Mocksville plant becomes with the expansion the world's largest single producer of non-woven fabric.

"The addition of this new line enables us to have even greater production capacity, delivering component materials that are ‘Made in America’ and offering more sustainable options for the growing North America market and around the world," Sivan Yedidsion, Avgol acting chief executive, said in a statement.

"This new line also enables the Mocksville facility to deliver additional melt-blown nonwovens, ensuring we have extra capacity to meet market demand."

The jobs would have an average annual wage of $55,647. They are pledged to be created by Dec. 31, 2024.

The expansion would bolster Avgol's overall Mocksville workforce to at least 312 at its 178 Avgol Drive campus. The company has been made eligible for up to $1.1 million in performance-based incentives from the county and $416,788 from Mocksville.

In February, Mocksville was provided with a $400,000 state rural infrastructure grant toward expansion of a building occupied by Avgol. The company plans to add 18,000 square feet through the grant funding.

Melt-blown nonwovens are made by extruding a thermoplastic resin through small nozzles surrounded by high-speed blowing gas. The randomly deposited fibers form a nonwoven sheet ideal for absorption and filtration, among other applications.

"Serving the growing baby diaper, adult incontinence, and feminine hygiene markets along with satisfying sustained demand for melt-blown filtration and medical materials, this investment enables Avgol to deliver an improved degree of service across the entire domestic region while consolidating and strengthening our existing position," Yedidsion said.

Another aspect of the investment includes adding cutting-edge lamination capabilities, which enables Avgol to offer enhanced-performance products into the existing markets the company serves and explore new opportunities in other markets.

Delivery of the equipment from Italy is expected early next month, and the line should be operational by early fall. Mocksville will become the first Avgol plant with lamination capability.

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